In-line collaboration in e-mail

A computer implemented method, comprising:

• generating an electronic mail (email) user interface, in an email system, with a reply pane for entering message content in reply to a received email message to generate a reply message;
• detecting a recipient entering content in reply to a particular textual portion of message content in the received email message;
• controlling the email system to identify the particular textual portion as a subset of the message content in the received email message;
• and
• automatically controlling the email system to format the content being entered by the recipient to display it in a same pane as the particular textual portion of the message content and to visually distinguish it from the particular textual portion of the message content.

A computing system, comprising:

• an electronic mail (email) system that generates a user interface with a reply pane for entering message content in reply to a received email message to generate a reply message;
• a recipient processing system that detects a recipient entering content in reply to a particular textual portion of message content in the received email message and controls the email system to identify the particular textual portion as a subset of the message content in the received email message, the recipient processing further identifying another reply, by another recipient, to the particular textual portion;
• and
• visual formatting logic that automatically controls the email system to format the content being entered by the recipient to display it in a same pane as the particular textual portion of the message content and to visually distinguish it from the particular textual portion of the message content and from the other reply to the particular textual portion of the message content, by the other recipient.